Health
Are noise-canceling headphones hazardous to your health? Audiology experts share warnings
Noise-canceling earbuds and headphones can be helpful when you need silence on demand — but could they be hazardous to your health?
The technology has grown in popularity among people who need to eliminate auditory distractions — background chatter, loud children or traffic noise. Yet some experts claim that blocking out the sounds of your surroundings can put you at risk.
“Technology often provides convenience at the cost of awareness,” Josh Gordon, head of innovation at the Singapore technology company Geonode, told Fox News Digital.
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“Noise-canceling earbuds may bring welcome silence, but they might also mask vital sounds that could save your life.”
Generally, good noise-canceling headphones can reduce noise by 20 to 40 decibels (dB), according to Gordon.
Noise-canceling earbuds and headphones can be helpful when you need silence — but some experts say they can be hazardous to your health. (iStock)
“There are positives and negatives to every technology,” Dr. Ruth Reisman, a clinical audiologist and hearing aid dispenser in New York State, told Fox News Digital.
“There can be some negative side effects to wearing noise-canceling headphones, including the reduction of awareness of [people’s] surroundings.”
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One of Reisman’s colleagues recently did a study on this topic, she said.
“It was found that in addition to the volume of the media, the exposure and time of usage can also impact the patients’ hearing,” she noted.
This can potentially result in hearing damage and an “auditory processing challenge,” according to Reisman.
Generally, good noise-canceling headphones can reduce noise by 20 to 40 decibels, an expert noted. (iStock)
Joel Smith, a California-based audio expert and founder of the music hub AllAxess.com, agreed that noise-canceling headphones can impact hearing if they’re not used properly.
“Blasting the volume for too long can cause noise-induced hearing loss, ringing in the ears called tinnitus or even make it harder to process and distinguish sounds clearly over time,” he told Fox News Digital.
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Constant exposure to loud noise can damage the inner ear hair cells that send sound signals to the brain, according to Smith.
“As those hair cells deteriorate from the loud noise, it makes it harder for your brain to properly interpret speech, background noise and other subtle sounds,” he said.
“It’s like your auditory processing gets muffled or desensitized.”
Noise-canceling earbuds or headphones can be used safely, “as long as they are set at an appropriate volume and not used for extended periods of time,” an expert said. (iStock)
Another risk, according to Smith, is that earbuds that aren’t cleaned regularly can trap moisture and bacteria, increasing the risk of ear infections.
“Some studies also suggest that excessive headphone use might affect your balance and spatial awareness, since you’re not relying on natural sound cues as much,” Smith added.
Safe usage tips
Noise-canceling headphones have their benefits, experts agree.
They can be helpful for people who have hyperacusis (sensitivity to noise) or those who have autism, Reisman advised.
“This can often make a noisy or disorienting environment tolerable or accessible to individuals with these challenges,” the doctor said.
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Noise-canceling earbuds or headphones can be used safely, Reisman said — “as long as they are set at an appropriate volume and not used for extended periods of time.”
Research shows that anything below 80 decibels is considered a safe volume, the doctor noted, with usage ideally limited to no more than two to three hours per day.
Constant exposure to loud noise can damage the inner ear hair cells that send sound signals to the brain, according to an expert. (iStock)
“The question is how to actually measure the amount of decibels at the level of the eardrum,” she said.
“You can potentially go to an audiologist and have [the expert] do a real ear measure, or use a sound level meter at the level of the ear to assess the intensity.”
Some phones also offer some guidance on safe volume levels, Reisman added.
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“I don’t think people need to avoid [noise-canceling headphones] completely, but you’ve got to use them responsibly,” Smith said.
He recommends following the 60/60 rule, which means keeping the volume at 60% or less and taking a break every 60 minutes to give your ears a rest.
“I don’t think people need to avoid [noise-canceling headphones] completely, but you’ve got to use them responsibly,” an expert said. (iStock)
“Be extra cautious in loud environments, since you might crank it up way too high to overcome that background noise,” he advised.
Smith recommended taking regular breaks and keeping volumes moderate to prevent auditory fatigue and preserve healthy hearing into older age.
“Technology is a powerful tool,” Gordon added.
“But like any tool, understanding its limitations and using it responsibly is key to staying safe.”
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Bipartisan push to invest in US national parks
Bret Baier moderates a discussion with Representatives Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Jared Huffman (D-CA) about the ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative. This bipartisan effort seeks to modernize national parks ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, investing $1.9 billion annually. They emphasize national parks as common ground, beloved by all Americans, and crucial for our shared heritage.
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As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, many Americans are taking extra notice of all the things the country has to offer.
One such case is our access to vast wilderness. Today, the nation’s national parks are bustling tourist attractions, but they may also serve as vital resources for public health, experts say.
The most immediate health boost comes from physical movement.
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Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that regular physical activity is crucial for reducing obesity, improving sleep quality and lowering the risk of chronic illnesses.
The nation’s public lands include parks, trails and open spaces that encourage outdoor recreation and physical activity.
Beyond physical fitness, national parks contribute to documented mental health benefits. (iStock)
A review by the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) found that implementing park, trail and greenway infrastructure directly increases physical activity across communities.
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When people walk, hike or bike through national parks, they are actively lowering their blood pressure, boosting immune function and reducing overall mortality, data shows.
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Beyond physical fitness, national parks may contribute to documented mental health benefits.
Previous research has demonstrated that direct exposure to nature significantly reduces physiological stress, lowers heart rates and decreases levels of stress hormones, like cortisol.
Engaging in educational activities and lifelong learning preserves brain function, improves memory and helps stave off age-related cognitive decline, research shows. (iStock)
This research also shows that natural environments boost attention span, combat mental fatigue and improve cognitive performance.
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Parks also act as natural venues for mindfulness and social connection.
Research shows that practicing mindfulness in quiet outdoor spaces lowers stress and mitigates feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
Research highlights that practicing mindfulness in quiet outdoor spaces lowers stress and mitigates feelings of loneliness and social isolation. (iStock)
Additionally, because parks protect cultural and historical resources, they can inspire lifelong learning.
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According to the data, engaging in educational activities and lifelong learning preserves brain function, improves memory and helps stave off age-related cognitive decline.
The National Park Service was established in 1916 to conserve the nation’s natural and historic resources for future generations, according to the organization.
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Today, that mission has expanded, as parks are recognized not only for their scenic and cultural value, but also the opportunities they provide for recreation and physical activity.
Screwworm outbreak threat to US livestock, prompts USDA action
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins discusses USDA’s response to the New World Screwworm outbreak in Texas and New Mexico, assuring safe food supply on ‘The Bottom Line.’ VI LONG DEK: Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins addresses the alarming resurgence of New World Screwworm in Texas and New Mexico, emphasizing USDA’s aggressive containment efforts. She confirms the food supply remains safe while highlighting the administration’s focus on domestic fertilizer production, investing billions in new plants and infrastructure projects. Rollins celebrates 250 years of American agriculture and its vital role in national security.
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Doctors thought a 60-year-old man had metastatic brain cancer after scans revealed multiple tumors – but further testing revealed a shocking diagnosis.
The Spanish man, who was not named, was found to have a parasitic tapeworm larvae lodged in his brain — a case of neurocysticercosis, a parasitic infection of the central nervous system caused by the pork tapeworm (Taenia solium).
The patient, a lifelong resident of Castellón, Spain, had not traveled to any regions where the disease is endemic, according to the case report published in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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The man had initially come to the hospital after suffering two weeks of progressive headaches and mild behavioral changes.
Radiologic findings from a study of autochthonous neurocysticercosis brain lesions mimicking metastatic disease. (Emerging Infectious Diseases)
CT scans showed multiple abnormal spots that looked like tumors that had spread from cancer elsewhere in the body, leading doctors to suspect advanced brain cancer.
However, whole-body scans, a colonoscopy and specialized imaging failed to identify cancer anywhere in the patient’s body, the case report stated.
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When doctors performed a more detailed MRI, they discovered several fluid-filled cysts in the brain, some of which contained the head of a tapeworm. A blood test confirmed the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.
The man was treated with a combination of albendazole and praziquantel (two antiparasitic medications), as well as corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. He successfully recovered with no complications, according to the case report.
CT scans (not pictured) showed multiple abnormal spots that looked like tumors that had spread from cancer elsewhere in the body, leading doctors to suspect advanced brain cancer. (iStock)
The authors suggested that the patient may have gotten the infection after accidentally ingesting microscopic tapeworm eggs years earlier.
The exposure may have occurred while working a construction job with migrant coworkers from regions where neurocysticercosis is endemic.
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People can catch the pork tapeworm in two different ways. Eating undercooked infected pork usually leads to an intestinal tapeworm, but accidentally swallowing the parasite’s eggs — typically through food or water contaminated with feces — can send the larvae into the bloodstream, where they may form cysts in the brain and other organs. This can cause the disease the patient in the case report acquired.
A photomicrograph shows histopathologic features in a brain tissue specimen from a case of neurocysticercosis caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium. The image documents pathological changes associated with this parasitic infection. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
As this was just a single case, the source of transmission could not be proven, the researchers acknowledged, and the findings cannot be generalized to a wider population. The report shows that there is a possibility of local transmission in non-endemic settings, but cannot establish how often this occurs.
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In the United States, less than 2% of neurocysticercosis cases are considered domestically acquired, according to the case report.
A prior systematic review identified only 18 confirmed locally acquired cases in Western Europe between 1990 and 2011.
The authors suggested that the patient may have gotten the infection after accidentally ingesting microscopic tapeworm eggs years earlier. (Associated Press)
In some cases, NCC can cause serious symptoms, including seizures, stroke, neurological deficits and cognitive decline.
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“Our case emphasizes that the absence of travel history should not preclude NCC from the differential diagnosis of multiple ring-enhancing brain lesions, even in regions where metastatic cancer is statistically much more likely,” the researchers concluded in the case study.
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Detecting the worms earlier could have prevented “unnecessary invasive oncologic procedures and led to prompt, targeted antiparasitic therapy,” they added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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A rare and potentially fatal tick-borne illness currently spreading across the United States can be traced back to a 1958 case involving a young boy on a farm.
The disease, known as Powassan virus, was named for the Ontario town near where it was first discovered.
At the time of his death, Lincoln Byers, a 4-year-old living in Canada, had a condition that medical professionals could not explain, the Boston Globe reported.
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Years later, researchers discovered a tick harboring the same virus on a dead squirrel, finally providing an answer to the tragedy, but foreshadowing a growing public health challenge.
While once considered an obscure medical anomaly, Powassan virus cases have reached historic highs in the U.S., data show.
Powassan is most prevalent from late spring through mid-fall, when tick populations peak and outdoor activity increases. (iStock)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 Americans were diagnosed with the virus in 2025, the highest annual total on record. Previously, the U.S. averaged just seven to eight diagnoses each year.
The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected woodchuck tick or deer tick. Like other tick-borne illnesses, Powassan is most prevalent from late spring through mid-fall, when tick populations peak and outdoor activity increases.
Public health experts warn that the virus’s transmission speed makes it uniquely dangerous.
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“One of the most dangerous aspects is its rapid transmission,” Dr. Jorge P. Parada, a medical advisor at the National Pest Management Association in Chicago, told Fox News Digital.
“Powassan can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after the infected tick bites, while Lyme disease usually requires a 36- to 48-hour attachment time for transmission.”
Powassan carries an incubation period of one to four weeks before symptoms manifest. (iStock)
Parada noted that while Powassan remains rare compared to Lyme disease, it poses clinical concern.
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Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, confirmed that the virus transmits significantly faster than Lyme disease. He noted that Powassan carries an incubation period of one to four weeks before symptoms manifest.
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Initial symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness, though some infected individuals remain asymptomatic, according to the CDC.
There are currently no specific medications or vaccines to treat or prevent Powassan virus. (iStock)
The virus can progress to severe neurological complications, including encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the spinal cord membranes).
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In severe cases, patients may experience confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures, per the CDC.
“One of the most dangerous aspects of it is its rapid transmission.”
Approximately 10% of Powassan cases involving severe neurological disease are fatal, and many survivors experience long-term neurological issues.
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There are currently no specific medications or vaccines to treat or prevent Powassan virus; clinical care is limited to supportive therapy, such as intravenous fluids and respiratory support.
While anyone can develop severe illness, those at the highest risk include children, older adults and immunocompromised individuals, experts caution.
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